Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne said on Sunday she had raised the matter with her Thai counterpart, Don Pramudwinai, requesting that 25-year-old Al-Araibi be allowed to fly back to Melbourne as soon as possible.

Adisak Kraisorn had a chance late in stoppage time to send Thailand to the AFF Cup final, but he skied his effort and saw Malaysia progress to the final.

Semifinals are inherently exciting. But there is drama, and then there is drama.

Thailand striker Adisak Kraisorn had already scored eight goals in the 2018 AFF Cup ahead of the second leg of the semifinal in Bangkok --more than the whole team of visitors Malaysia combined. Yet when he looks back at the tournament, the soon-to-be confirmed Golden Boot winner will not be able to see past the last second of the last game.

After 180 minutes of action, the scoreline was 2-2. As all goals came in Bangkok,...

Sir Alex Ferguson once reflected that one of the ways modern football differed from its predecessor was that a 0-0 first leg away result in Europe was no longer seen as a good one. The past focus on keeping a clean sheet above all else was slowly replaced by the conviction that returning home without an away goal was a cause for concern.

So it should be that Malaysia will be feeling a little happier than Thailand after the goalless first leg of the 2018 AFF Suzuki Cup semifinal in Kuala Lumpur on...